Diocese of Belgaum

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Bishop(s) Peter Machado, Bishop Ignatius P. Lobo, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 19 September 1953 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Bangalore Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: India Square Kilometers: 27,156 (10,489 Square Miles) Mailing Address: Bishop's House, B.C. 69, Belgaum-590001, Karnataka State, India Telephone: (0831)2420.587 Fax: 2424.226

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Michael Rodrigues † (19 Sep 1953 Appointed - 15 Mar 1964 Resigned)
• Fortunato da Veiga Coutinho † (15 Mar 1964 Succeeded - 8 Feb 1967 Died)
• Ignatius P. Lobo (26 Sep 1967 Appointed - 1 Dec 1994 Retired)
• Bernard Blasius Moras (30 Nov 1996 Appointed - 22 Jul 2004 Appointed, Archbishop of Bangalore)
• Peter Machado (2 Feb 2006 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
19 September 1953	Erected	Archdiocese of Goa e Damão Diocese of Poona	Diocese of Belgaum (erected)
24 January 1976	Territory Lost	Diocese of Belgaum	Diocese of Karwar (erected)
24 June 2005	Territory Lost	Diocese of Belgaum (Bijapur) Diocese of Bellary (Gulbarga) Archdiocese of Hyderabad (Bidar)	Diocese of Gulbarga (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1959	46,673	5,213,256	.9%	37	15	52	897		15	111	32	ap1960
1970	53,404	7,595,309	.7%	51	107	158	338		119	206	40	ap1971
1980	28,000	7,342,000	.4%	23	22	45	622		33	239	23	ap1981
1990	28,296	8,650,000	.3%	46	39	85	332		49	214	28	ap1991
1999	29,503	9,939,363	.3%	57	41	98	301		55	245	42	ap2000
2000	29,503	9,939,363	.3%	56	41	97	304		55	251	42	ap2001
2001	29,503	9,939,363	.3%	59	42	101	292		58	258	47	ap2002
2002	29,503	9,939,363	.3%	60	53	113	261		71	267	50	ap2003
2003	29,503	11,939,363	.2%	63	57	120	245		66	359	56	ap2004
2004	29,525	11,939,363	.2%	64	56	120	246		65	361	56	ap2005
2006	29,095	9,030,000	.3%	70	55	125	232		81	357	56	ap2007

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops

• Fortunato da Veiga Coutinho † (Coadjutor Bishop: 2 Jul 1962; Bishop: 15 Mar 1964 to 8 Feb 1967)
• Derek Fernandes (Priest: 5 May 1979 to 24 Feb 2007)
• Ignatius P. Lobo (Bishop: 26 Sep 1967 to 1 Dec 1994)
• Peter Machado (Bishop: 2 Feb 2006 - )
• Bernard Blasius Moras (Bishop: 30 Nov 1996 to 22 Jul 2004)
• Michael Rodrigues † (Bishop: 19 Sep 1953 to 15 Mar 1964)